Theme of Revenge in Homer's Odyssey
Homer’s The Odyssey is not just a tale of a man’s struggle on his journey home from the Trojan War, but of his struggle from the consequences of revenge. The Odyssey weaves in different characters’ tales of revenge from the gods and what impact revenge actually had on those characters. Revenge is an important underlying theme in The Odyssey because, in essence, it explains why Odysseus’ journey was so prolonged and treacherous. A few examples of revenge in the poem include Orestes’ revenge on Aegisthus, Zeus’ revenge on Odysseus and his men, and Poseidon’s revenge on Odysseus. These different examples of revenge in The Odyssey show the importance of the gods’ revenge in the epic journey of Odysseus.
Orestes’ revenge is the first important example of the gods’ revenge in the poem. In Book 1, Hermes told Aegisthus, “’Don’t murder the man,’ he said, ‘don’t court his wife. Beware, revenge will come from Orestes…” (Homer 260). King Nestor delivers the story of Orestes’ revenge to Odysseus’ son Telemachus, while Telemachus is visiting Nestor to discover answers about his fathers’...

The Character Medea's Revenge in Euripides' Medea

Medea is a tragedy of a woman who feels that her husband has betrayed her with another woman and the jealousy that consumes her. She is the protagonist who arouses sympathy and admiration because of how her desperate situation is. I thought I was going to feel sorry for Medea, but that quickly changed as soon as I saw her true colors. I understand that her emotions were all over the place. First, she was angry, then cold and conniving. The lower she sinks the more terrible revenge she wants to reap on Jason.

Medea's plan was set into motion. She has nothing to loose. She is even angrier because she betrayed her own father and her people for him. She even bears the burden of having Pelias killed by his daughters for Jason. She decides to take revenge out on Jason's bride and poisons her. She also doesn't want Jason to take the children from her. She decides to kill them, but agonizes over this decision before killing them. Some critics view this as a pathetic attempt at motherhood. I know there is a certain bond between mother and child. She just wants to hurt Jason as much as she has been hurt. "She first secures a place of refuge, and seems almost on the point of bespeaking a new connection. Medea abandoned by the entire world, was still sufficient for herself." (blackmask).

There is definitely a reversal of roles in the play. "A man's role was to "help his friends and harm his enemies."(users globalnet) Medea offered to help her friend King Aigeus become childless in exchange for helping her get away. She will harm anyone who gets in her way. It is the children who bring about this reversal.

"Another possible theme of Medea may be that at times a punishment of revenge should justify the crime - no matter how severe. Only a person in such a situation (and greater beings) may know what to action to take in this position."(essayworld)

"Finally, the play opens with Medea's Nurse indirectly giving background information to the story about to unfold. It is quickly understood by the audience that Jason, the husband of Medea, for whom she disowned her family and had killed for, has left her for the King of Corinth (Creon's) daughter - a beautiful princess. Medea is outraged by this and is set on seeking revenge on him.

King Creon tells Medea that she will be exiled from the island of Corinth because he fears for the safety of his daughter. Medea, however, does not want to leave. She comes to an agreement with King Aegeus - King of Athens - where she will be able to seek refuge in the city-state of Athens after her exile from Corinth. He extends his hospitality to her quite generously. By this time, Medea has become to formulate a plan to seek revenge on Jason.

Medea's plan is to kill Jason's new bride and his two children she had bore for him and then flee for Athens. The chorus tries to console Medea and tell her not to do such horrid things to other people particularly her children. Medea ignores their request and is stuck with the decision of whether or not to kill her children. She loves them and does not want to but she knows she must kill them to get back at her husband who had wronged her though she had done so much for him.

She goes through with the act of killing Jason's new bride - Medea's children bring her a poisoned gown, which also ends up killing the King of Corinth. - And then faces the tough act of murdering her own children who she loves dearly. She does the awful deed and refuses to allow Jason access to their bodies to bury them or the ability to say goodbye to them. Ah_ Sweet Revenge
This story follows the usual Greek tragedy plot and story line and Euripides conveys his idea of a woman well. The concept of a dominant female is still applicable in today's world. Medea is still a popular story today because of this. The theme may not be one, which is "good" - that of revenge - but in the case of Medea it works well." (essayworld)

Works Cited

Lawall, Sarah The Norton Anthology World Masterpieces Seventh Edition Volume 1 W.W. Norton and Company, Inc. Copyright 1984

Brockett, Oscar G., The Theatre An Introduction Second Edition

Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc. Copyright 1964, 1969

http://www.blackmask.com/books113c/7ldaldex.htm

http://www.globalnet.co.uk/~loxias/medea/medeaintro.htm

http://www.essayworld.com/essays/book/135.shtml

The Tempest

Summary and Analysis Act IV: Scene 1
Prospero, acknowledging that he has been harsh, now promises a reward that will rectify the young lovers' momentary suffering. Recognizing Ferdinand and Miranda's love for one another — they have passed the trials that Prospero has set before them — he offers Miranda to Ferdinand as his wife. Prospero next calls Ariel to help stage a celebration of the betrothal. The celebration includes a masque, presented by the spirits of the island.
Suddenly Prospero remembers the three conspirators who have set out to murder him and calls a halt to the masque. He then summons Ariel, who reports that he led the three men, all of whom are very drunk, through a briar patch and into a filthy pond, where he left them wallowing. Prospero instructs Ariel to leave garish clothing on a tree to tempt the men.
Soon Caliban, Stefano, and Trinculo appear, foul smelling and wet. Stefano and Trinculo lament the loss of their bottles but are much cheered when they see the clothing hanging nearby. The two ignore Caliban's pleas to continue on their mission and his warnings that their hesitation will lead Prospero to catch them. At that moment, Prospero and Ariel enter with spirits, disguised as hunters and hounds. The three conspirators flee, with the spirits in pursuit. Prospero, acknowledging the power he now holds over all his enemies, promises Ariel that he shall soon be free.
Analysis
Within a few minutes of the opening of this scene, the betrothal is complete, and Miranda and Ferdinand's future has been determined to Prospero's satisfaction. The virtue and honor of these young people transcends the actions of their fathers and, in this betrothal, lies the redemption of their families. (According to Elizabethan custom, marriages consisted of three separate elements. The first was the betrothal, with it announcement of a promise to wed and the acknowledgement of the family's permission for the union to take place. The second part consisted of the wedding, with a religious ceremony that united the couple and bound them together under church law. The final part to the marriage was the consummation, the physical union of the couple through sexual intercourse.)
For the first time, Prospero can fully reveal his true nature. Finally, there is no need to be punitive or autocratic, and he can simply enjoy his daughter's happiness. For these few moments, the audience can witness what Prospero is like without the weight of revenge or control motivating his actions. Even in his gentleness and goodwill toward Ferdinand, Prospero does not forget that he is still Miranda's father, and as such, he is responsible for her until she is safely wed. Consequently, a significant amount of time is spent warning Ferdinand that he must control his lust until the wedding takes place. Prospero warns the young man that "barren hate, / Sour-eyed disdain, and discord," will be his reward if he cannot control his lust (IV.1, 19-20). All of this is in keeping with the expected parental role. Miranda is even more innocent than most young women, having had none of the socialization that other young women would experience. Because of her isolation, she is more vulnerable, and her father is aware of her purity of heart. However, he is also a father, facing the imminent loss of his only child, and so his excessive warnings to Ferdinand to control his lust are to be expected.
The betrothal ceremony is sealed with a masque, and, in keeping with the motif of reality and illusion, this masque draws on mythical goddesses and on Greek and Roman mythology. The goddesses are selected for their symbolism and connections to nature and represent the promise of fertility and fecundity, heavenly harmony, and an eternal springtime of love. As the goddess of the rainbow, Iris is the promise of spring rains leading to a bountiful harvest. As a messenger from Juno, she also represents the gods' blessing on this betrothal. When Juno appears, her presence affirms the blessing of the heavens, and since Juno is the goddess of marriage and childbirth, her presence is the promise of a happy union for the couple and a blessing of many children. Finally, Ceres' appearance also promises nature's blessing on this marriage. Together, the goddesses are the promise of celestial harmony, fruitful harvests, and eternal seasons without winter. Venus, with her emphasis on abandon and sexual love is deliberately excluded, since the focus of the masque is on honorable marriage.
The pastoral tradition focuses on a nostalgic image of the peace and simplicity of the life of shepherds and other rural folk in an idealized natural setting. Pastoral poetry is characterized by a state of contentment and a focus on the contemplative life. As is the case with most masques, Prospero's masque focuses on these pastoral motifs, with reapers and nymphs celebrating the fecundity of the land. The land is green, the harvesters sunburned, and the harvest worth celebrating. Love is innocent and romantic and not sexual. The country life, with its abundance of harvests and peaceful existence is an idealized world that ignores the realities of country life with its many hardships. But a wedding masque is not the time to remind the young couple of the possible hardships that they will face. Instead, Prospero focuses on the blessings of a happy marriage and the contentment that Ferdinand and Miranda will bring one another.

At the conclusion of the masque, Prospero addresses Ferdinand and tells him that "We are such stuff / As dreams are made on" (IV.1, 156-57). This is a reminder that the masque, with all its heavenly creatures, is not real. Like the masque, life, too, will come to its inevitable end. Prospero reminds Ferdinand that each man's life is framed by dreams. The evidence of that life, with its earthly possessions, is only temporary. Again, this points to the role of the young couple as redeemers for their father's sins. Alonso, and through him, Antonio and Sebastian, have placed too much emphasis on worldly possessions and titles. Even Prospero, with his focus on books, has forgotten that they are also only temporary vestiges in this life. This reminder that corporeal riches are only temporary also seems to be directed toward Stefano and Trinculo.
Many scholars and critics would like to see Shakespeare's autobiographical presence in Prospero's words. Those who think that Shakespeare is allowing Prospero to speak his farewell to the stage find "Our revels now are ended" to be a poignant reminder of the temporal plight of all men's lives. Since The Tempest comes near the end of Shakespeare's career and life, it is very tempting to read autobiography into Prospero's words. Still, his words may only be an impassioned reminder for each man to value life and accept its temporal limitations.
At the scene's end, Prospero must shrug off the mantle of fatherhood and assume the cloak of ruler and deal with the three conspirators who plot his death: Caliban, Stefano, and Trinculo. The punishment that Ariel reports is more nuisance than painful, another reminder that Prospero's retribution includes no serious injuries. Aside from a few scratches, the trip through the briar patch and the putrid pond only injure the men's pride. Even the spirit hunters and dogs that give Caliban, Stefano, and Trinculo chase are little more than air, not capable of causing their prey any harm. This mild punishment reflects Prospero's inherent good nature and his willingness to forgive his enemies. He will make them suffer for their plotting, but he will do them no real injury. Although it was not always clear earlier in the play, by this act, Prospero's true nature, his goodness and his humanity, have become clear to the audience.

Glossary genius either of two spirits, one good and one evil, supposed to influence one's destiny.
Phoebus' steeds the mythological horses that drew the chariot of the sun. Here, the suggestion is that they are lame from the long day and overriding. vanity reference to an illusion or trick that Prospero has created. abstemious moderate, especially in eating and drinking; temperate. Prospero is warning Ferdinand once again about resisting lust before the wedding occurs. bring a corollary here, meaning to bring too many spirits rather than not enough. amain at or with great speed; here, Miranda's peacocks fly quickly. sicklemen reference to nymphs disguised as harvesters. unbacked not broken to the saddle: said of a horse. trumpery something showy but worthless; here, the gaudy clothing designated as bait for the three conspirators. frippery here, an old clothing shop. dropsy a disease characterized by the accumulation of fluid in the connective tissues, resulting in swelling. jerkin a short, closefitting jacket, often sleeveless.

Themes of Revenge in Medea
The main theme of this drama, Medea is that of revenge with love as the motivating factor. The play indicates how dreadfully Medea contrives her plan of vengeance. From the killing of the new bride and the bride's father her revenge began, and with the killing of her two children and by leaving her husband in destitute she succeeded in her attempt of revenge. Her revenge is excessive, perverse, and nihilistically potent. The theme of revenge in Medea is like saying -"what goes around comes around" in the sense that Medea has a strong desire to take back at Jason for what he has done to her. From the beginning of the play we see Medea's desire of taking revenge. "Oh, may I see Jason and his bride
Ground to pieces in their shattered palace
For the wrong that have dared to do to me'' Medea is a barbarian girl who had sacrificed everything for Jason. Medea's search for revenge commences after her husband, Jason, leaves her to gain power and prestige by marrying the daughter of the king Creon. So Medea is outraged by this and is set on seeking revenge on him because she killed her father and brother for the love of Jason. Her hatred for Jason became so fierce that it seems to her she will go to any length to hurt him. It seems possible to her to sacrifice some others, even if they be her children because she already sacrificed herself and had nothing left to risk apart from her children. She is so out of control that she plots to annihilate all products of her and Jason's union. The boys' innocence is no defense against the irate Medea. Medea says – ''Death take you, with your father, and perish his whole house!" Medea's desire for revenge, to sever all ties between herself and her former husband is even clearer.

And to take her revenge, she plans to kill Jason's new bride and her two children. ''I will punish. He shall never see alive again
The sons he had from me. From his new bride he never
Shall breed a son; she by my poison, wretched girl,
Must die a hideous death. '' Later in the play, Medea struggles between her devotion as mother and her desire for marriage. '- Why should I hurt them ,to make
Their father suffer, when I shall suffer twice as much ''. She also says,
'My hand shall not weaken,
Oh ,my heart ,don't do it !Oh ,miserable heart ,
…
I'll not leave sons of mine to be the victims of
My enemies' rage . . . .So, since I have a sad road
To travel, and send these boys on a still sadder road ,

She struggles to decide if she can accomplish her goal of revenge against Jason without killing her children because she cares for them. Unfortunately Medea's desire to exact revenge on Jason is greater than her love for her children and Medea is determined to satisfy her thirst for revenge through the children. SHE thinks only goal of revenge on Jason, not of the consequences it may bring. When she tells the chorus about the plan of killing her children, they wonder
` to kill your own children! Can you steel your heart?'' To which she replies
''This is the way to deal Jason the deepest wound.'' This shows that she believes that by killing her children, she will basically ruin Jason's life, effectively getting her revenge. When asked about killing her children, she replies "So it must be. No compromise is possible." (819). This shows that she is bent on revenge. When king Creon tells Medea that she will be exiled from the island of Corinth because he fears for the safety of his daughter. She convinces Creon into giving her an extra day before she is banished using the excuse of devising-
To settle some plan for my exile , make provision
For my two sons , since their own father is not concerned
To help them"
When actually she uses the time to carry out her murders. Carefully she broods over the best way for her victims to suffer
Today three of my enemies I shall strike dead; yin
Father and daughter and my husband '' .. . Rather than using physical force to accomplish her plans, she uses her mind instead: it is best .to kill them by poison. The best is the direct way, which most suits my bent:
To kill by poison. "

However, she does not poison them directly. She used her son to fulfill her motive. Medea has secured her escape through Aegeus; she confides her plan to use her children to exact revenge.
'''. I shall see my enemies punished as they deserve
She describes her plan in the way:
I 'll send them (children) to the palace bearing gifts ,a dress
Of soft weave and a coronet of beaten gold.
If she takes and puts on this finery ,both she
And all who touch her will expire in agony ;
With such a deadly poison I 'll anoint my gifts
…I will kill my sons.
No one shall take my children from me . …
Yes , I can endure guilt ,however horrible ;
The laughter of my enemies I will not endure ''

Her motive of revenge is seen from these speeches. This speech encompasses her rage and plan of taking revenge against her enemies. Then Medea goes through with the act of killing Jason's new bride –Medea's children brings her a poisoned gown, which also ends up killing the king of Corinth. And then faces the tough act of murdering her own children whom she loves dearly. She does the awful deed and refuses to allow Jason access to their bodies to bury them or the ability to say goodbye to them. And by doing these killings, she proves that how cruel she is in her passion of revenge. From the above discussion, we find the theme of Medea's passion of revenge for the wrong and injustice done to her by Jason. We also get the description of how dreadfully she contrives her plan of vengeance, kills the new bride and the king and then kills her own children and leaves her husband utterly destitute of all.